Current distributing and collecting mechanism for electric railways.



F. a. CLARK. 7 CURRENT DISTRIBUTIHG AND GGLLEGTING MECHANISM FDR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 71 1908. 9 4,953.

Patented July 19, 1910.

2 BHEIfTS-SHEBT 1.

wzrlv$ssse v INVENTOR 'Fms. M ,5@M( I "05;; h,

ATTORNEY F. G. CLARK.

CURRENT DISTRIBUTING AND GOLLEQTING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC BAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1908,

Patented July 19, 1910.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 and State of New York, have invented cerprovements are fully disclos rods 10' connect the cross bars 8 with con UNITED sirii rns n rnnfr OFFICE.

FARLEY G. CLARK, O1 NEV/ YORK, 331'. Y.

Application filed (lctoher 7,

Specification of Le ttcre Patent.

P'l'tt'tlltttil J uly 19, 1910..

1908. Serial No. 456,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FARLEY G. CLARE, a citizen. of the United States, and resident ofthe city 01 New York, county of New York,

tain Improvements in Current Distributing and Collecting Mechanism for Electric Reil- Ways.

This invention comprehends distributing and collecting mechanism, designed I'JdIlLlClblarly for side contact, wherein there is nrel erably provided a. catcncry support for a pair of connected rails having means for adjusting them vertically and horizontally, in combination with a. trolley having an ad justable two faced shoe supported oy a universal joint which is carried by an arm connected with scar by means permitting such arm to rock Vertically and laterally and ciprocate longitudinally.

The characteristic feature of: the llI1- d it the ecccrn- -11lei panying drawings and the following scription.

In the drawings, Figure l is omil elevation taken transversely to the LllSt1ll )'iltion mechanism. illustrating the improvements in operation; Fig. 2 a. side clove. tion of the distribution mechanism; Pig. 3 is a plan View of a section of the connected reilsus'ed in the distribution system; is a. plan View of the trolley in. contact with arsil; and Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of the trolley in connection with a. car and rail, In the application of the improvements, as represented in the drawings, there are einployed the usual posts 1 which carry span Wires 2 havingthe insuleting hangers 3 dc pending" therefrom and supporting the catenary conductor l midway between the centers of the tracks 5 and the cars 6 thereon. Current conducting Trails 7, having their flangesdisposcd substantially vertically with theirv Webs turned toward each other, are connected ttogether in parallel rela tion by conducting cross-bars 8 having bifurcated ends which receive the rail webs, keys 9 ass ing through the bifurcated bar ends on the. rail Webs to fix them together. Conducting ducting cross bars 11 which. are fixed to and electrically connected with the 'catcna-ry conductor 4, nuts 12 being threaded on the rods 10 to adjust the distance between the bars 8 and 11, whereby the elevation of the rails 7 is regulated.

The trolley com prises the arms 13 connectcd. at their respective ends by the or .33 hers id and 1.5, tr racing a trapezoidal ironic vertically support (3. with relation to the car and extending laterally therefrom.

The cross bar .14, which is normally held;

the same angle with reference to the plane of the. arms 13 by springs 23, which are engagged "with the extremities oi the shoe and fiear up0n .the-k nuckle 18.. Prongs 2%, cm tending outwardly from the shoe above and below each plate, form forks for engaging a. rail 7 and holding the shoe in tli hdrizon tall-plane thereof.- The character the con motion of the shoe with. the fr l u adjustable universal joint, provid s-l'tgir the ready accommodation of he con acts to proper engaement with he rolls.

The cross 31- 15 is connected by an arbor 25 in rocking cng gement with a cross pi. which is car: 3-21 by posts 2-7 mounted. on acirculzir base 28. Springs 2%} connect projections 30 at the extremities of the her 15 with projections 31 carried by the posts 2? so that the trolley frame is supported normolly in e. substantially horizontal position and flexibly so that it can oscillate in e verti eel plane.

' The base 28 is supported revol'uhly on a carriage 32, a. journal 33 which is fixed to the base pussin through the bearing 34. of the cerriage and a .nut 35 on the journal engaging the hearing. A handle 36 on the journal Within the car provides for manually turning the turret, comprising the. par-ts 26, 27 and 28. Springs 37, disposed between the bearings 38 on the carrie e and the hearing 39 on the base, act to imit the move cash? u iich they are cerriednnd a. 'cord' or like tension member 41 passing over e pulley 42 has connected therewith a weight:

43 which tends to move, the carriage toward the conducting bar and hold the shoe in contact therewith.

The trolley, thus constructed and connected, is adapted to be moved, automatically or manually. so as to trail, in either direction at movpnlent of the car, with the correspol'uling contact plate held in close side contact with the face of the distrilnlting rail, by reason of the rocking connection of the shoe, the ability of the turret to move through a limited are and against resistance and the carriage to reciprocate subject to the force acting to move it toward the rail, while tl'ie'fhrks on the shoe and the adapt ability of the latter to more vertically secures proper tracking alinement of the contact plates. 7

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In mechanism of the character described, the coml'lination with a car, of t-rolley mechanism adapted to reckon transverse axes, said mechanism comprising a reversible shoe supported by a pivotal joint.

2. In mechanism of the character de- "scribed,v the combination with a conducting scribed, the eol'nbination with a car, of a distributing conductor disposed laterally with relation to said car; and collecting means comprising a. support carried by said our and adapted to turn about an axis, an arm carried by said supportiand adapted to turn about anaxis transverse to said axis first. named, and a reversible contactv device carried by and adapted to turn relatively to said. arm.

4. In mechanism of. the character described, the combination with a conducting rail having'a side contactsurface, of a car,

a trolley arm extendiiig laterally' therefrom, means whereby said arm is adaptedto swing horizontally and vertically, and a shoe having several contact parts and a movable con nection' with said arm, said parts being adapted for engaging said rail.

5. In mechanisnr of the character described, the combination with a car having a transverse way, of a c "'riage adapted to reciprocate along said w y, aturret ,supwrted by said carriage and adapted to turn thereon, an arm carried by said turret, and adapted to turn thereon, a contact piece, and means connecting said contact. piece with said arm, whereby said contact piece is movable horizontally and vertically relatively to said arm.

6. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a car, with a carriage adapted to reciprocate transversely relatively thereto, a turret carried by and ada 'ited to turn on said carriage, means for limiting the turning movement of said turret, an arm carried by and adapted to turn on said turret, means for limiting theturning movements of said arm, and a contact member connected with said arm.

7. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a car having a way, of a carriage adapted to move along said way,'supported by said carriage, a trolley movable on a, vertical axis and means wlthin said car for turning said trolley about said axis. I

8. In mechanism of the character described, a'trolley having an arm, a shoe having a fork adapted to engage a conductor and contact, surfaces disposed angularly with respect to each other, and a joint connecting said shoe with saidarm and permitting said contact surfaces to rock upon an axis parallel thereto.

9, In mechanism of the character described, a trolley having an arm, a shoe having contact surfaces disposed angularly with relation to each other, and a universal joint; connecting said shoe and arm, said joint having a vertically movable connection with said arm.

10. In mechanism ofthe character described, the combination with a car, of a carriage adapted to reciprocate transversely relatively to said car, means for moving said carriage transversely to said car, a. turret adapted to oscillate on said 'carria e, a spring or springs connected with sai carriage and turret tobonftrol the movements of the latter, a frame adapted to oscillate 0n-said turret, and a spring or springs connected with said turret and frame to control the movements of the latter.

In witness whereoflhave hereunto set my name this 5th day CtUbGl A..I). 1908, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

' "FARLEY G.- CLARK.

Witnesses: Y

'JoHN THIEL, CHAnnEs N. BUTLER. 

